China slams Japan's attempt to overturn aggression history

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BEIJING, Feb. 21 -- China on Friday slammed Japan's attempts to overturn its aggression history as it tried to retract its past apology on wartime sex slaves.

"Any move taken by Japan to deny their crimes and overturn its aggression history will spark firm opposition from the victim countries in Asia and the international community," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news briefing.

Her comments came one day after Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga indicated an overall review over interviews with 16 South Korean comfort women, who identified themselves as sex slaves during World War II.

Forcing women into sexual slavery was a grave crime against humanity by the Japanese military during WWII, and there was solid evidence for that, Hua said.

"We solemnly urge Japan to face up to and reflect on its invasion past, properly handle outstanding issues relating to history, including the issue of comfort women, so as to avoid going too far down the wrong path," Hua said.

The interviews were conducted in 1993 by Japanese officials in Seoul, resulting later that year in the Kono Statement, an official apology by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono for forced prostitution by the Japanese Imperial Army.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry on Friday also slammed Japan's attempt to retract its past apology to comfort women.